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DPChallenge: Mind the Gap

How do you prefer to read, with an eReader like a Kindle or Nook, or with an old school paperback in hand?

I already placed my vote into the poll, and took note of the unsurprising result: paperbacks were preferred by the people of WordPress.

I am going to play devil’s advocate here and say that I prefer an eReader.

Let’s face the facts: not that many people buy paperbacks anymore. I understand that we are nostalgic for days passed, but just take in account the end of print newspapers… there is a love I feel when I open up a newspaper, a love for that smell, that look, that sound. But even though I feel this way, I didn’t help save the newspapers because the convenience of having the news on my mobile device, not to mention instantly on Twitter really defeats the whole purpose of paying for a print newspaper.

Yes, I love a paperback version of a book. I can read it, highlight it, write in it, lend it to ten friends, see the pages turn yellow with wisdom and time. Yet, I love my Kindle Touch, it goes everywhere with me with ease, I can highlight it, write notes in it, finish one book and order another at the touch of a button, and so, I find it better. Some may argue that the battery life of a book is infinite, but my Kindle Touch lasts months before a recharge. It is not paper-thin nor is it fragile, it’s stronger and more versatile than a book.

And I’m not the only person who feels this way, just look at recent eBook sales versus paperback sales. I would not be surprised, due to recent predictions, that the paperback becomes a thing of the past. Barnes and Noble may only be an online outlet soon. An example would be the closing of the Borders franchise after the company failed to create an eReader tablet as Amazon and Barnes and Noble had. The next step is making Barnes and Noble the other Amazon, or maybe, because the Nook is less popular than the Kindle, there may be no more B&N that we’ve all come to love.

The years are passing, technology is changing, and we adapt with the times. We can continue to remain nostalgic for the past: the days before the Internet came in and began to bully almost everything that we love… but in reality, an eReader is the way of the future. Just as the days of print newspapers have passed, there are less and less magazines, journalism has become an online medium (we all have blogs here), books are becoming eBooks. I mean, come on now, mail isn’t even going to be delivered on Saturdays anymore: read about it here.

I’m a book lover, don’t get me wrong, I grew up filling bookcases with just about every type of book out there. Personally though, I’m thankful for the added shelf space, and I’m happy that my books are available on my eReader. And I’m not the only one.